As usual, I've been running (and running and running...) laps and writing my findings in my imagination; then forgetting to post them.
Event Observations and Thoughts
This round is very addictive. I resonated with a new project car and just kept running laps (more on that below). I said I'd stop after several more laps... I put down the controller around lap 30.
Track Boundaries
At most of the track, the marshals were their usual selves on penalties set to strong: annoying. They raised an eyebrow to what I did in the high speed corners in the first sector. However, they are like this for the penultimate corner:
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The amount of runoff you can take is similar to the craziness back at Road Atlanta that pushed us to decide on penalties strong. I've gone off, all four wheels well beyond the white line and rumbles and rejoined at the tip of the grass.
I argue that a super duper runoff line does not grant a big time advantage; rather it saves a lap that otherwise would have been blown up because said penultimate corner really. really forces the driver to be patient on the throttle (
why are you all looking at me?!). The wideness of the line and the bumps do a good job of canceling reducing the speed advantage. Maybe we can find speed here with serious strategy and a suspension setup made specifically to take advantage, but I don't feel like figuring out a full exploit.
Pace Predictions
Mid, maybe low 43s by the end.
The 4WDs are strong because they can just ignore the bump / general surface weirdness at the hairpin. They acknowledge the traction loss, laugh at it and continue on. The Porsche GT3s will be strong as usual, as long they can manage traction.
Maybe the GT3 Meta Brothers can sneak in a high 42 and force me to drag the Also Meta Audi R8 V10 out again.
But Chall already Drove that Car
I look forward to this becoming a running gag. But that thought has made me slow my search for the fastest car that isn't the FL5, Audi R8 V10, or Porsche GT3. The Alfa 4C helps...
The RWD Class is the Porsche GT3 Parade
We know this because of the 991 and 992, but did you know that the 997 GT3 is also kinda strong? While my Huayra and Corvette C8 continue to fight over who is the superior platform—with the Huayra still winning—I did a shakedown run on a converted maxed-out 997 GT3. My 997 woke up being tossed into the hairpin... It laughed at the corner and my gorilla inputs. Acceleration and grip out of slow corners was not 4WD level, but the 997 did casually embarrass everything not a Porsche GT3.
Personal Best in the other, other 911 GT3: 44.3
Our Bonus Car Assignment: Alfa Romeo 4C
Personal Bests
Standard Engine: 45.2
Swapped Heavy Weight: 44.8
The 4C was a little nightmare. Low aero grip and mediocre mechanical grip that feel like understeer, until the pendulum in the rear woke up and swung me butt-first out of corners and off the track.
As
@bliprunner noted, the 4C’s handling was erratic at low ride heights; so we both jacked the car to rally ride heights. Though I gained none of the Group B cars’ damping nor predictability. The 4C needed rotation, but it was very, very hard to calm down the over-rotation that comes with hard cornering. I’ve had to adapt my driving style along with my tune. For me, the 4C has ungainly rear engine handling. Granted, I gave it a silly rear weight bias – but I argue that it needed that silly rear weight bias to even hope to accelerate out of low speed corners properly.
The 4C can probably touch the 44s with the standard engine, but I don't have the patience for that. 44.6 is my goal for my swapped build, because that will finally make it faster than the utterly awful 8C.
Tunes and times coming in the next post.
